A hundred days certainly do not make a presidency, but such period could be a matter of life and death for a vulnerable community.
To say “so far, so good”—as how the Inquirer’s editorial “Issues beyond 100 days” (10/10/22) labeled the first 100 days of the Marcos Jr. administration—is an overstatement, considering the dilemmas that are of critical urgency but were otherwise neglected by the administration.
President Marcos Jr. has secured billions of dollars worth of foreign investments yet imposed budget cuts on education and hospitals. Really, at this time of resumption of face-to-face classes and the COVID-19 pandemic? Bafflingly enough, the country remains in a public health crisis, yet no health secretary has been appointed just as how the President, as the acting agricultural secretary himself, has laid no plans in alleviating the country’s food security problems.
Unquestionably, the presidency is not a “hundred-day sprint” but many pressing issues need urgent action and Filipinos may die waiting too long before they get help!
Shane Liway Eligado, eligadoshane@gmail.com